Automobile steering-gear.



L H. RICHARDS.

AUTUMOBILE STEERING GEKAR.

APPLICATION man )UNE 4.19m.

1 ,272, 1 03. Patented. July 9, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

r, tig

J. H. RICHARDS.

AUTOMOBILE STEERING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED IuNE 4. I9II.

l ,2?2, l @3 I, Patented July 9, 1918,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A UUR/VE Y.

pnoruumn.. wasnmamn. o c.

`of the motor vehicle.

JAMES H. incnenns, or Moscow, rDAHe.

AUTOMOBILE STEERING-GEAR..

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jul;T 9, 1918.

Application led June 4, 1917. Serial N0. 172,647'.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. RICHARDS, a subject of Great Britain,residing at Moscow, in the county of Latah and State of Idaho, haveinvented a new andl usef,ul Automobile Steering-Gear, of which thefollowing' is a specificatiomreference being had to the accompanyingdrawings and to the letters and figuresl of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to steering mechanism of the type that connectsthe steering shaft with the steering knuckles in motor vehicleconstruction, the invention having reference more particularly tosteering mechanism that is adapted more especially for use in connectionwith certain well known motor vehicles ofthe Ford and similar types.

- An object of the invention is to provide an improved steeringmechanism for motor vehicles that shall be so constructed as to permitthe driver or operator to release one orV both hands in emergency fromthe steering wheel without losing guiding control provide an improvedsteering mechanism of such construction as to permit it to be applied tomotor vehicles without altering the present construction thereof,exceptingl to remove the mechanism of the steering gear hithertoprovided7 and which shall be oper-L ated either with or without theplanetary gear device commonly provided at the upper end of the steeringshaft. kA further object is to provide steering mechanism for motorvehicles which shall be of such char-- acter as to prevent thevibrations inl operation to reverse the gearing when not constantly heldby the driver, an aim being to prevent accidents due to deflection ofthe forward wheels of thek vehicle by obstructions or rough roads, whichimproved steeringmechanism shall be of simple and ineX- pensive yetreliable construction, adapted to be readily applied and be durablev andeco-Y nomical in use.

With the above-mentioned and other ob-` jects in view, the inventionconsists in a novel housing adapted to be firmly secured to a motorvehicle frame and engine and having means for steadily supporting thethrottle shaft or rod and the timer shaft, or rod with which motorvehicles are provided, the housing su porting improved means foropcrains ari @estrellas the rai .by which the Another object is tolscribed andv further defined in the accom'-V panying claims.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure l is a fragmentary top.plan of afamiliar type of automobile engine and its frame to which the improvedsteering mechanism is applied; Fig.. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of theautomobile frame partially broken away, and a side view of the improvedsteering mechanism; Fig.3 is an elevation of the reverse side of thesteering mechanism; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on the line IV-IV onFig. 2; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section of the automobileframe and theengine crank case in connection with which the improvedsteering mechanism is shown perspectively; Fig. 6 is a longitudinalsection of the improved steering mechanism on the line VI-VI on Fig. 2;Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line VII-VH on Fig. 5 Fig. 8 is afragmentary sectional elevation also on the line VI-VI but with theoperating parts in diiferent positions than those shown in Fig. 6; Fig.9 is an elevation of one of the parts of the improved mechanism; Fig.l() is a central section reproducing parts of Fig. 6 separately from theremaining mechanism; and, Fig. 1l is an elevation of the inner side ofone of the parts shown in Fig. 10.

Similar reference characters on the various figures of the drawingsindicate corresponding elements or features of constructions'hereinreferred to.

v.For the purpose of fully and clearly explaining the invention and itspeculiar adaptability to motor vehicles, a number of the well knownparts or portions of the construction of the motor vehicle will bebriefly referred to, the same comprising channel section frame members land 2 having each inwardly extending flange portions 2, an engine crank`case 3 having flanges 3 whereby the parts of the crank case are securedtogether, a steerin column 4 in which a steering shaft 5 is guided andprovided with a hand steering wheel 6 which commonly is connected withthe steering shaft by means of planetary gearing arranged in a gear case7 at the top of the steering column as hitherto constructed.Theatrical-1s wheel .rames at a leslie; rete which, in-thepresent` case,a steering' rod 15' than the steering shaft, but' for thep. ur poses ofthe present invention. thesteering wheel may be directly rconnected withthe steering shaft so as to reducetheA-rateof rotation of the steeringwheel advanta` geously. .The motonv-ehicle includes-also ai.

throttle shaft or rod' 8 and a timer shaft or rod 9 providedrespectivelywith controlling levers 10 and 11, as will be understood.The motor vehiclefhas also steering knuckles provided" with arms 12 and13` respectively thatf are connected to a coupling rody 14:' `toisconnected in a' well known manner. The steering shaft 5 1s, as 1s wellknown, arrangedl1 at an inclination with itslower end between thevengine and/one of the framey members orba'rs 2 and relatively nearer totheL latter;

vThe improved steering mechanism Vor gearing comprises a housing whichis composed of twol parts 16 and 17 suitably secured-togetherso astobereadi'ly applied to the lower portion of the steering shaftafterremovingA the mechanism whereby the shaft 5 may have beenoriginally connectedwith the steeringlro'd 15. The part 17 of thehousing has an integral laterall supportingxwing 1'8 thereonvthat is,relatively oblique angled soy as to have a bearingy against thebotto1n'flange2 of the frame bar 2 and' is secured thereto by means of abolt 19, the

' wing, having a right angled upwardly eX- tending ear 20thereon whichbears against the edge of the flange and has a spacing block orthimble2'1 which extends from the ear t'o the main or vertical portion of theside bar 2, thespacing'block and the ear being firmly secured in placeby means ofl a bolt 22'. The part 16 of the housing has a lateral"supporting arm 23 integral therewith and! so as to be on the oppositeside of the housing from the supporting wing, the arm having arelatively oblique angled under side that is supported 'upon the flange3" bore 26 which' receives the-throttle'shaft orv red 8 tok firmlysteady it and prevent vibrations and rattling. VOn the opposite sideofthe housing the part f7 has a boss 27 integral' thereon'which has aguide vbore 28 Y therein, the part havingalso Vanother boss 259'/ havinga guide bore 30` therein, the

Ybessesbeing on opposite sides respectively of supporting' wing 1S, theguidebores being in alinement eachI with the yother and n receiving and.gui-ding'the timer shaft: or rod 9 "The uppenend ofthe housing; has anap-Y ertu-red head31" therein, the lowerend having.

cal..extension 33 having a head 34:, the head 32.and the extension beingbored. The housing has a llongitudinal guide bore 35 and at thelower endthereof a counterbore 36,

-the opposite portions of the counterbored wallf of .the housing beingprovidedV with bearing portions 37 and 38. An annular rock-lever39isfarranged in the counterbore and has trunnions 40 and 41 on oppositeportions thereof that are-=.supportedfin the bear-ing portions 37- and38 respectively, one of ythe trunnions; extending beyond the housingvw-aflliand having a steering arm- 4:2v securedl thereto that issuitably connected to thesteering rod 1'5.

For the purpose of directlyk controllingtheroclr-'lever 39 a pairofpushblocks 431 and 44 are provided which are fitted together andlongitudinally guided in the guide bore 35; The push blocks areconstructed`I` ashalf nuts which together form a hollow cylinder andhave cam devices'iand' t'on their inner sides which preferably areVformed as sections of screw threads, one being right hand and the otherleft hand pitch. rEhe edges of the lower portions of thepushblocks haverecesses if? and 481espectively to afford clearance to permit therock-lever Vto operate, the middle portions of the lower ends of thepush blocks being in contact with the rock-lever on opposite sidesrespectively of its trunnions. rEhe push blocks are suitably guidedl toprevent them fromturning in the housing and preferably are provided withguide pins' or'spline devices 4'9 andi 50 that extend into longitudinalguide grooves or spline ways 51 and 52 respectivelyv that extend fromthel guide bore 35 into the wall of the housing, one guide groovebeingin the part 16 and the other ini the part 17.

The steering shaft 5 has a tapering porY tion 53 near its lower' endfrom which ereV tends a screw-threaded stud portion-54 hav'- inganut 55thereon. A cam sleeve 56 is placed on and embraces the steering shaftand has a tapering portion' 57 that is 'fitted to the Vtapering portion53l of the shaft, the tape-ring' pertionV 57' having a key way '58therein that receives a lrey 59 which secures the sleeve te the shaft.The caml sleeve has an extension G0 thereon that is slightly lessinl-external Vdiameter than the main portion ofthe sleevegso-as toprovide la shoulder 61?. The studl portion extends through the eX-tension 60 and the end of theiatter is en-' gaged bythe nut 551.' Theend ofl thel stud f portion' 54 is" close to the head and mayv bep'ropor-*tiened asl toV length sol 'as to find? support Ion the head,while the extension 60 may yobviously ybe proportioned as to di?- ameterso `as te have 'lateral support lin the head `32-and the extension `33.lreferafbl-yY the-inside-offthehead 32 has an annuliar recess4 G2whicha-cup erballracef63` 'is seated ff and supports bearing balls 64Which supportk a bearing cone 65 that is seated against the shoulder 61and tightly embraces the ex-A- tension 60. Thercam sleeve 56 has a mainportion 66 that is relatively larger in diameter than the remainingportions and has suitable cam grooves therein which prefer-v the camsleeve has avflange 69thereon so as l to provide an end-bearing Whichisv opposed to the inner end of the bearingl box 70 Which is screwedinto the head 31 of the housing so as to be adjustableA and resist theend thrustof the cam sleeve. l The bearing box has a flange 71 on itsouter end that has peripheral notches 72 therein to receive aspring-latch 73 that .is mounted upon the upper portion ofthe housing soas to pre1 vent accidental rotation of the bearing box when adjusted.Preferably a dust-collar v7 4 havinga neck 75 and composed of stampedsheet metalis arranged on the steering shaft -5 and secured thereto bymeans of a clamp ring` 76 driven onto theneck, the collar having afabric swab or Wiper 77 securedv thereu to in Contact Withr the outerend of the journal box to prevent dust from entering the bearing boxaround the shaft. Preferably the inner end of the bearing box 70Vhas labearing plate 7 8 connectedorsecured thereto, a ball. case 79beingarranged between,

the bearing plate andV the. flange 69 ofthev cam sleeve and guidingbearing balls 80 ars ranged also between the plate andthe flange.

In case vof lost motion developing'so that the bearing balls 64 permitplay at the -loWer end of the steering shaft, the shaft maybe stea diedas above-mentioned in the extension 33, and longitudinal lost 'motionmaybe taken upby the adjustablebearing box 70, as will be understood. Yf Y l In practical use the steering Wheel 6 is turned as is customaryand the rsteering shaft 5 thereby caused to be turned as may be requiredso as to turn the cam sleeve 56 which controls and operates the pushblocks 43 and 44 as designed, the consequent tilting of the rock-levercausing the arm 42 to be swung in the required direction to move thesteering rod 15. In case the motor vehicle meets obstruction in the roadso as to tend to thrust the knuckle arms 12 and 13 to one side or theother, it is evident that the accident is prevented because of the pushblocks 43 and 44 being locked to the cam sleeve 56 which in turn isprevented from being moved longitudinally in the housing, the driverthus having complete control of the steering operations and Withoutbeing re- .to one end of the housing'andy having quired to keep both ofhis hands tight on the "steering Wheel 6.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as neWfisl. Amotor-vehicle Steering mechanism including a housing having a lateralsupport-ing arm on one side and a similar supporting Wing on theopposite side thereof, the ,Wing being relatively shorter than the armandV having a relatively right angled supporting ear thereon, arock-shaft mounted in the housing, a steering arm secured to therock-shaft, asteering shaft rotatively guided inthe housing, and meansin the housing having operative connection With the steering` shaft andthe rock-shaft to enable the former to controly the latter.

2.A Ak motor-vehicle steering mechanism including a housing having alongitudinal guide bore therein, a lateral supporting arm integral Withone side of the housing, a lateral supporting ,Wing integral With theopposite side of the housing and having a relatively. right-angledsupporting ear thereon,

; ing arm on one side thereof and also a guide bossadjacent to the arm,theboss being near a guide bore therein extending longitudinally of.the` housing, asupporting Wing integral With the opposite side of thehousing, a steering shaftrotatively guided in the said endv portion ofthe housing, a cam sleeve' secured to the shaft and rotatively guided inthe opposite end of the housing, two pushblocks longitudinally guided inthe housing and engaged by the cam sleeve 'to be alternately actuatedthereby, a rock-lever mounted in the housing in contact .With the0pposite portions of the rock-lever, and a steering arm` secured to therock-lever.

4. A motor-vehicle steering mechanism including a housing having alateral supporting Wing on one side thereof and also two guide bossesadjacent to opposite portions of the Wing, each boss having a guide boretherein alining with the bore of the other boss, the Win having aright-angled supporting ear t ereon extending adjacent to one of thebosses, a supporting arm integral With the opposite side of the housing,a rock-lever mounted in the housing, a steering arm secured to therock-lever, a steering shaft rotatively guided in the housing, a camsleeve rotatively guided in the housing movably guided longitudinally inthe guide bore, an annular lever in the guide bore in -contact with thepush-blocks and having trunnions mounted in the wall of the housoneY endof the housingthe sleeve extending through the annular lever andhavingright and left cam devices thereon engaging the push-blocksrespectively, and a steeringy shaft `extending into the housingl andsecured tothe cam sleeve, the shaft rotatively guiding the opposite endof theA cam sleeve relativelyv to the housing.l l

6.-.A motor-vehiclesteerin g mechanism including a housing composed oftwo sections,

one of the sections. having a lateral supporting wing and also two guidebosses` thereon, the other of the sections having a supporting arm andalso a, guide boss there@ von, two sections being detachably securedtogether, one end of the housing having a. stepbearing therein, labearingr box screwed into the opposite end of the housing and having anotched y mounted on the housingv and contacting the flange, a camsleeve rotatively guided at one end in the step-bearing, the oppositeend of the sleeve having an end-bearing, a bearing platesecur-ed ytotheinner end of thebearing b ox, bearing balls arranged between theendbearing and the bearingv plate, asteer-y ing yshaft rotatively guidedin the bearing box and extending into and securedto the cam sleeve, apair of push-blocks longitudivnally guided inthe housing and engaged bythe cam sleeve thereby, 'and a steering device movably mounted in thehousing and controlled by the push-blocks.

7, In a motor-vehicle steering mechanism7 ingone of the trunnionsextending beyond the wall and having a steering arm secured thereto,acam sleeve arranged between the push-blocks and having one end guided`inV vflange on its outer end, a latch to be alternately actuatedthecombination of a housing having a, guide bore therein and acounterbore extending from the guide bore. to one end portion of the?housing, said end portion being provided with a head having acylindrical extension.

that also hasa head therein, the head of the housing and the .extensionbeing bored, the guide bore having longitudinal guide grooves therein,an annular rock-lever in the counterbore and having trunnions supportedin the wall of the housing, one of the trunnions extending through-thewall and having a steering arm thereon, a cam sleeve in the housingextending through the rock-lever and into the bore of the extension ofthe housing head and having right and left pitched grooves inits/periphery, a ball-race seatedin` said housing head, bearing balls onthe ball-race,yabearing cone secured to said sleeve at a short distancefrom one end thereof and seated on said balls, two push-blocks guided insaid guide bore and contacting respectivelyV with opposite portions ofsaid rock-lever, the4 push-blocks having guidepinsy thereon extendinginto said guide grooves respectively, the inner Jfaces of thepush-blocks having right Vvand' left screwthreads. thereon extendinginto the right and left pitched grooves respectively, bearing- 'ballsvarranged on the opposite end of the cam sleeve, abearing-box screwedinto the opposite end of, the housing and having a notched flange on itsouter end, a bearing f plate secured tothe inner end of the bearingbox'and contacting withsaid last-mentioned Vbearing balls, a latchmounted on the housing and contacting with said notched flange, a'steering shaft extending rotatively through said bearing box and thecam sleeve and securedfto the sleeve, a dust-collar secured to thesteering shaft adjacent to the outer end of the 'bearing box, and a swabsecured to said collar and contacting with said end of Y the bearingbox.

In testimony whereof,.I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. RICHARDS. Witnesses: Jos. J.

s y DE Conlon,

y 1 L. E. VEDDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtaindfor- 've 'cents each, by,addressing' thecommissioner Yof Patents,

Y Washington, D. C. i l

